Voices for Equality: Nvard Margaryan, Armenia

In early July, the Armenian Ministry of Justice announced that it would recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad, making Armenia the second formerly-Soviet state to do so. While commendable, this step does not outshine Armenia's troubling human rights record.

A recent report from PINK Armenia found that 90 percent of Armenian citizens support restricting the rights of LGBT people. This public hostility against LGBT people makes LGBT advocacy in Armenia both incredibly difficult and essential.

We are thankful for activists like PINK Armenia's Nvard Margaryan who fight for the rights of LGBT people, and look forward to working with them in the future.

Washington, D.C.—Human Rights First today welcomed a new report from the Russian LGBT Network on the persecution of the LGBT community in Chechnya. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the...